Photograph
by Eira Miste
Summary: Lance finds Pidge out on the Garrison roof one night, and a small photograph changes everything. Takes place after S7 and before S8. I do not own Voltron Legendary Defender.


_**I have no idea what this is, other than it being a short little thing that I felt the need to write. Hope ya'll enjoy it!**_

* * *

Pidge sat down in her spot on the roof of the Garrison. She had barely been out of the hospital for a day when she heard the news.

 _"I'm going to Cuba, Pidge. I'm not entirely sure on how long I'll be gone, maybe a few months. My family, Red and I are heading down in the morning."_

Lance had told her that only an hour ago. She understood why he needed to go down there, it was where he grew up. In all honesty, she was going to be flying out to Italy in a few weeks, only, unlike him, she knew how long she would be gone.

She didn't understand why she felt this way. Why all she wanted to do was cry. Lance wasn't going to be gone forever... she hoped. Either way, it wasn't like he was the first of the team to take a break. Hunk left the moment he was released from the hospital, packing up his family and flying them to the Balmera so they could see where Shay grew up. Shiro wasn't even a Paladin anymore and was so busy that she hardly ever saw him. Allura was flying around the planet and surrounding planets (creatures?) trying to set up meetings, and of course then you had Keith. He had once left to be with the Blade, and Pidge had felt sad, but not like this.

"I thought I'd find you up here." A voice whispered into her ear.

"AHHH!" Pidge jumped up and turned to find Lance. "Don't do that!"

Lance didn't even smile at her outburst. "Sorry... Pidge we need to talk."

Pidge downcast her eye's. "About what?"

"You know what. Why did you just run out of there, with no explanation?" He asked. Looking at her with hurt eyes. He didn't think he would admit it to her, but during their time in space he had grown close to her. He didn't want any harm, physical or emotional, to come to her.

"You don't even know when you're coming back!" She shouted. "You're just leaving! I get it. You want to see your family but... Why do you have to go?"

He furrowed his brow. "Hey! You're leaving too."

"Yeah! For a week! Two most! But then I'm coming back."

Lance closed his eye's as the problem dawned on him. Pidge was scared that he was going to leave Voltron. She didn't need to, though, because that would never happen. He just needed to go help his family and other's, as he had told her. "I will come back. If you want, you can give Allura letters to bring me if you don't feel like writing. Or we can meet up on the weekends, or even evenings considering that, by lion, it would take, what? A minute to get from here, or even from Italy, to Cuba. Actually, visiting Italy does sound pretty cool. Regardless of the damage."

A twinkly of mischief shone in Lance's eye's, and Pidge tried to smile, but after hearing the Blue Paladin's name, she couldn't.

"I'm just... I feel like everything is changing so quickly and I don't know what to do. I mean, I was so happy to be back on Earth only... During our time in space you and the other's became my family, so for you too leave for who knows how long."

Lance reached out and grasped her shoulder. "I'll always be here Pidge. As a friend, and as a teammate. You became my family too. I care for you." If only she knew how much. "I mean, come on. Who else will I get to play video games with.

Pidge shook her head. "We'll have too set up a game night."

"One every week." Lance smiled, leaning down and giving the Green Paladin a hug. Pidge was momentarily shocked, but quickly shook out of it and hugged him back. He gave her a soft smile when he pulled away.

Lance reached into his back pocket, suddenly remembering something. "Here." He held his hand out and handed Pidge a small photo of the two of them. Matt had taken it for them as a celebration for all of their check-up's ending.

The picture was taken outside, and Lance was giving Pidge a piggy-back ride, and her arms were wound around his chest, hands resting over his heart. Their heads were right next to each other, so close that if Pidge had turned her head she would have wound up giving Lance a kiss on the cheek. Unlike their pictures from their time in space, they were able to wear different clothing (the clothing they still had on). Pidge was wearing a pair of fitted ripped jeans, a forest green long-sleeved shirt, and, though you couldn't see them in the photo, brown boots, along with a dark red headband. Lance was in a pair of dark jeans and a red T-shirt, with a green army jacket and, even though they were out of sight, military boots. It was amazing at how different they looked. Not to mention how contagious their smiles were.

"I was hoping to get a bigger photo, but considering that the war just ended and everything, that was the best I could do."

Pidge smiled at him. "It's okay." She whispered, slipping it into her own pocket. "I love it."

"Good." Lance sighed, "I need to go pack up." He said, turning to leave.

"L-Lance, wait!"

Pidge reached out, grabbing his hand, and just as Lance turned to face her again he felt himself being pulled down and felt her lips slam into his.

At first he didn't know what to do, think or feel. He was suppose to like _Allura_ , and maybe one day kiss _Allura_. But in that moment, all he could think was Pidge, and he started to kiss her back.

When they did pull apart, Pidge had a single tear running down her cheek. "I'm sorry. She whispered, going to step away only to find that, during their kiss, Lance's arms had moved around her, so she was stuck, pressed close to his chest.

"Why?" He asked, looking down at her. Noticing her uncomfort he let go of her and stepped back.

"I shouldn't have done that." She stated, wrapping her arms around herself. Lance felt his heart clench as he looked at her. She seemed so sad, vulnerable... heartbroken.

"Katie," Pidge could feel her heart quicken, Lance only used her real name when they were discussing something important, "I kissed you back."

Pidge squeezed her eye's shut. "Y-you were just caught up in the moment." She declared. He watched as another tear slipped through, and her hand reached unconsciously to a heart locket she was wearing. He hadn't even noticed it until then. It was bronze, and hung low, past her chest. He then noticed a smaller one, which was a dark gold, around her neck hanging near her heart. It was the one his mother had given her (one of the few things that his mother had saved) earlier in the day, as a thank you for helping to watch after her son while in space. Considering that it had been his grandmother's, he had originally thought she would give it to Allura, so he had been surprised when she had given it to Pidge instead. Only he wasn't as surprised now.

"What are in the lockets." He asked. He knew from her expression, and the pain in her eye's as she opened them, that she was surprised and a bit hurt that he changed the subject so quickly.

"The bronze one has two pictures. One of Matt and one of my parents. The gold one doesn't have anything in it. We couldn't find any pictures small enough."

An idea sparked in Lance's mind. "Can I have the picture back?" He asked softly, making Pidge look up at him with even more shock and hurt. She was too depressed to connect the dots.

She swallowed hard as she reached into her back pocket. She pulled out the small picture and carefully handed it to Lance, avoiding any contact with his hand. Lance took the picture and walked over to the edge of the roof, past Pidge. The girl didn't turn to watch what he was doing. Instead she fought sobs, believing that she just ruined her relationship with the person she loved.

In reality Lance was just going over to Pidge's backpack to look for something. When he found it, he walked up behind her, and unclasped the gold chain from around her neck.

"LANCE!" Pidge screamed, immediately feeling the weight of the locket disappear from where it rest near her heart.

She turned debating on if she should deck him or not. Only her arm fell limply to her side as she saw him sitting on the ground with the locket, picture, and a pair of scissors.

Pidge could feel her heart beat faster as she watched him carefully cut a heart figure out of the picture. Comparing it to the hole in the locket every few minutes. She was going to say something, but decided against it, not wanting to startle him. Instead she stood patiently and watched.

Lance continued his project for a few minutes, a small smile of triumph appearing on his face as the picture fit into the locket perfectly. The Red Paladin stood up and walked to Pidge. Instead of handing her the locket, he walked behind her, bringing the chain around her neck, and clasping it.

Pidge turned the locket towards her, and couldn't help but open it and admire the picture within. Even though quite a bit of it had been cut away, it still had their faces, and their contagious smiles. "Why?" She whispered, "I thought... I thought that you loved..." She couldn't continue. Lance spun her around and looked into Pidge's eyes.

"I... I thought I did. But the more time I spent with you, the more I realized I didn't. But... I thought it would be better for me to fall in love with Allura than with you. I was scared that if I fell in love with you, I would hurt you."

"So you're no longer scared of hurting me?"

Lance chuckled, feeling his own eyes fill with tears. "No... No I'm terrified of hurting you. But I can't run from my feelings anymore, because even though I'm terrified of hurting you, I'm more terrified of one day losing you. Of living life without you."

He lifted her chin, and bent down planting a gentle kiss on her lips. Pidge didn't even think, and started to kiss him back, folding her arms against his chest as he pulled her close. When they finally pulled apart, they were both a little breathless and blushing, though they were also smiling.

"So, now what?" Pidge asked, leaning her head against Lance's chest.

"Not really sure." The Red Paladin whispered, "I think we just became couple." He could feel Pidge laughing against him. "I like the sound of that." She said.

Lance smiled wider. "Me too." He dropped a kiss onto her forehead, then pulled back. "I forgot to mention, Mama wants you to come over. Since I'm the only one left to pack, and have refused almost all of my family's help, she wanted to know if you would like to join in on some games. She's already invited the rest of your family."

Pidge couldn't help but burst out laughing, especially at how fast the conversation had changed. "Sound's like your mom knew before we did."

"Classic Mama!"

The Paladins clasped hands and headed towards the door, after picking up Pidge's backpack and quickly cleaning up the mess Lance had made.

"So who is helping you?" Pidge asked as they headed down the stairs.

Lance looked at her, an expression of mock surprise on his face. "Slyvio and Nadia of course!"

Pidge laughed, thinking of Lance's niece and nephew. "Of course." She reached up with her free hand and clutched the gold locket. Thinking of how Lance would always be near her heart.

Suddenly the future seemed a lot brighter than it had an hour ago...

* * *

 ** _This was solely the outcome of listen to Ed Sheeran's song, Photograph, on repeat, and needing a Plance fix._**

 ** _Thanks for reading! (If anyone wants to review, feel free too but please make sure the language is friendly for all ages)_**


End file.
